We also spoke with executives of major French multinationals in Shanghai, to hear their expectations on Macron's state visit to China. Here's what they had to say.

During his closely watched three day visit to China, French President Emmanuel Macron will bring a consortium of businesses. They are expected to sign up to 50 deals with Chinese firms. According to French media, the two countries are expected to launch a 1 billion euro investment fund targeting French companies in China. Today, China is one of the most important markets for French companies.

STEPHANE RINDERKNECH, CEO L'OREAL CHINA "In the past twenty years we have witnessed in China lots of reforms and opening up of the market. We are very confident and very happy to see in the past message from the congress that China is going towards even more globalization, opening up. We are very confident that this visit will help to shed new lights towards more innovation, more consumer centricity. The relationship between China and France will get even closer than it has been."

From production to logistics to retail, many French consumer goods companies have built entire industry chains in China.

YANG CHENGXI SHANGHAI "The massive purchasing power of Chinese consumers have made China the biggest overseas market for many French retail groups, some of which have set up their regional headquarters in the city of Shanghai."

China's Belt and Road Initiative will be a key part of the discussions during this visit. As the initiative turns from concept to reality, some French companies have benefited substantially.

WANG TINGTING, GREATER CHINA VICE PRESIDENT DECATHLON "The Belt and Road Initiative is bringing new opportunities for business like Decathlon. Take logistics for example, last October, we launched our first corporate block tailor made train from Wuhan to northern France. With this new train, we are benefiting from a 50 percent lead time decrease and 36 percent carbon emission decrease. It all comes from the benefit of the China-Europe railway system which was developed after the initiative."

France is already a member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Analysts say there's still room to explore in greater connectivity projects in the future. Yang Chengxi, CGTN, Shanghai.